What should a person do if he catches up with the tashahhud in Jumu’ah prayer?

Question

If someone reaches jummuah during the tashahud what should he do? If someone is held up by something out of his control eg bus breaks down... is he sinful if he is late to jummuah or misses it? Does he miss out on the rewards he would have got and the moment of the acceptance of duaa? etc...

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

You can only catch up with Jumu’ah prayer if you catch with a
rak’ah with the imam, and catching up with a rak’ah means catching up with
the rakoo’ with the imam. If you catch up with the imam before he stands up
from rukoo’ in the second rak’ah, then you have caught up with the prayer,
and you should then complete your prayer after the imam says the salaam, so
you should stand up and complete the remaining rak’ah of your prayer. But if
you catch up with the imam after he has stood up from rukoo’, this means
that you have missed Jumu’ah prayer, and have not caught up with it. In this
case you have to pray it as Zuhr, so you should stand up after the Imam has
said the salaam and complete your prayer with four rak’ahs, because it is
Zuhr and not Jumu’ah. This is the view of the majority of scholars, Maalik,
al-Shafaa’i and Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on them). (See al-Majmoo’
by al-Nawawi, 4/558). They quoted several texts as evidence, such as:

1 – The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him): “Whoever catches up with one rak’ah of the prayer has
caught up with the prayer.” (al-Bukhaari, 580; Muslim, 607).

2 – The report narrated by al-Nasaa’i from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), who said: “The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘ Whoever
catches up with one rak’ah of Jumu’ah or any other prayer, let him add more
rak’ahs to it to complete his prayer.’” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
al-Irwa’, 622).

If a person does not catch up with the prayer for a reason
that is beyond his control, such as the bus breaking down, as mentioned in
the question, or other excuses such as falling asleep or forgetting, then
there is no sin on him in that case, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):

“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you
made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend”
[al-Ahzaab 33:5]

A person in this case does not deliberately intend to miss
the prayer.

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “Allaah has forgiven my ummah for what they forget and what they
do by mistake, and for what they are forced to do.” (narrated by Ibn Maajah;
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’, 82).

In this case, you were sincere in your resolve to pray, but
you had an excuse, so you will earn the reward in full, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by
intentions, and every person will have but that which he intended.”
(al-Bukhaari, 1; Muslim, 1907).

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said to his companions on the way back from the campaign of Tabook: “In
Madeenah there are men who, whenever you cover a distance or cross a valley,
they share the reward with you; they have been detained by sickness.”
(Muslim, 1911). And Allaah knows best.